(Tech Xplore)—Bring it on. That seemed to be a fairly strong reaction this week from those who found out about Sharp's phone concept going curvy—and looking oh so good. Reader comments included "Beautiful," and "Take my money."

It looks as if Sam Byford, who runs Asia happenings from Tokyo for The Verge, is no less impressed with this big visual come-on. "Sharp has a knack for making phone displays with tiny bezels, as seen in the US a couple of years ago with the Aquos Crystal, but the company has upped its game in a big way and I want this on a phone immediately."

The concept device is called Sharp Corner R. It has 5.2-inch screen with a resolution of 1080 x 1920, said PhoneArena, with a display making up 90 percent of the front panel with virtual buttons.

Those attending the CEATECH 2016 technology expo in Japan saw it, reported PhoneArena on Thursday.

Jed John in GizmoChina offered more details. He noted the Corner R's curved display with full HD (1080 pixels) resolution. He reported that "the Sharp Corner R concept phone uses Sharp Free Form Display created using the recently unveiled IGZO display technology which is said to come with 1000ppi."

Byford similarly said the phone "uses the company's Free-Form Display technology, which enables IGZO LCD panels to be cut into various shapes."

The company's Free Form displays can be cut in just about any shape, "because the driver circuits are built in its surface, they don't require bezels at all," said Bogdan Petrovan, senior editor with Android Authority.

EE Times Europe talked on Thursday about what Sharp brings to the table with IGZO technology. IGZO stands for Indium gallium zinc oxide. It's a transparent crystalline oxide semiconductor technology. Sharp uses it for various types of displays.

Julien Happich in EE Times Europe wrote that "One of the claims Sharp makes on its website is that thanks to the high electron mobility of IGZO, it was able to achieve unprecedented transistor miniaturization and circuit thinning, raising light transmission at pixel level while doubling display resolution."

Petrovan said, "with smartphone design hitting a plateau, bold new ideas like this are more than welcome."

The one question that many have is when the phone will be commercially available, and there is no answer to that yet. We are not sure when this will go commercial, said Jed John.

Byford in The Verge also said those enthused over the look would need patience. "Sharp seems to have difficulty helping its Free-Form Displays make the leap from trade show floor to retail, but this Corner R concept should be an easier sell."

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